Avenue for change: Implications of the modern ‘Youth Vote’

With the Philippine midterm elections happening next Monday, have Lasallians prepped their bets?

The study conducted by three psychology majors published in The LaSallian last March revealed that 34 percent of DLSU students would be politically involved, if granted a proper avenue for participation.

The April releases of the Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia senatorial preference surveys show the likely turnout of the May 2013 elections, revealing the dominance of the Liberal Party as far back as January. Re-electionist candidates Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, and Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero have also consistently topped the Top 12 charts.

Yet, input primarily from college students suggests a contrary outcome. The results of Mamamayang Mamamahayag, a mock election led by University of the Philippines Diliman across 5 Metro Manila universities (ADMU, FEU, UPD, UST and DLSU) last February, showed highly improved chances for bets lingering outside the Top 12 at the time.

Candidate Richard Gordon fronted the polls, followed by Sen. Escudero. New faces in the ‘Top 12’ included Teodoro Casiño and Risa Hontiveros.

Differentiated reasons

A later informal survey conducted by the UP Department of Journalism revealed that respondents preferred Gordon due to his consistent performance in Red Cross relief operations and perceived “hardworking” ethic.

It showed that former Akbayan Rep. Hontiveros made the mock election Top 12 due to her advocacy for the RH bill. Similarly, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño represented a break from ruling political dynasties. Though forerunners Sen. Legarda, Cayetano, and Escudero among others made it to the mock election Top 12, results indicated a preference for younger candidates.

In contrast, an April ABS-CBN news report interviewed President of Pulse Asia Ronald Holmes, who suggested that name recall, with media exposure, propelled candidates such as Grace Poe-Llamanzares and Paolo “Bam” Aquino up the Top 12.

However, Holmes warns that surnames were not the only deciding factor, citing the unpopularity of Jack Enrile and Ramon Magsaysay Jr. in recent surveys.

Huge potential

Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER) Executive Director Ramon Casiple in the ABS-CBN report believes that today’s youth is mobilizing towards a “transitioning electorate”; that they “are already trying to see the candidates for their platforms and for their programs and [their relation] to their own experiences.”

Candidates outside the Top 12 due to lack of campaign funds seek a younger audience for exposure, describes a February report on Channel News Asia. This was done through engaging social media, television debates and university forums – such as the DLSU Senate-Youth 2013 forum held in Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium last March.

Of the 51 million strong Philippine electorate, there are 28 million youth, according to latest Commission on Elections (COMELEC) data. Unofficial estimates for the 2010 youth voter turnout range between 2 million to 5 million; around 7 – 17 percent, though no official sources explicitly disclosed youth voter turnout.

A microcosm of Philippine reality, the university mock elections turnout sat at 1 percent (1,072 participants) of the eligible student population. The low turnout was attributed to advertising, logistical and technical difficulties, among others.

A 2008 study by Capadocia et al. from the University of the Philippines found that youth and other first-time voters are therefore discouraged: though the sector harbors negative perceptions of the Philippine government and electoral system, the majority was not registered despite seeing themselves as a vital facet of Philippine society.

Accounts suggest that while youth participation increased since 2008, technicalities and attitudes still serve as a metaphorical barrier. Newest statistics from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) hint that the Philippines maintained an upward voter turnout trend, averaging 70 percent, which should continue rising due to COMELEC’s heightened information campaigns, improvement efforts and the help of mass media.

Wired

Furthermore, the potential of the young sector is starting to show through the proliferation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – i.e. social media like Facebook, and Twitter.

2012 statistics reveal that 35 percent of Filipinos have internet access. Of this, two-thirds are aged 15 – 17; while 50 percent of those in their 20’s were online, according to a 2011 Nielsen report. Out of the wired population, 90 percent are active social networking users. Monitoring firm Socialbaker reports roughly 30 million Filipinos on Facebook, ranked 8th among the countries with the most Facebook users.

Through the internet, even out-of-school youth could be engaged. Studies show that the youth generally prefer informal modes of political participation online, seeing it as an avenue for rapid group formation, discussions or mock elections.

Hence, over the years, youth reformist organizations such as Youth Vote Philippines and First Time Voters Network targeted the young online population. Mass media groups also tapped into the trend, with text messaging and social media avenues such as ABS-CBN’s Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo, GMA-7’s YouScoop and Rappler’s Move.ph.

Right and responsibility

To reiterate Casiple’s words, the youth is a “transitioning electorate” – it will take time before desired changes come into fruition.

To be a truly transitioning electorate, sustained participation is key, and voting counts the most. However, those who cannot vote yet should not lose heart, but help voters make informed choices with a tap of the key.

With the youth comprising 50 percent of Philippine voters, shouldn’t the 2013 elections yield a higher voter turnout? After all, it’s just three years to the next Presidential election.